Do animals have imagination? Charming examples of animal imagination come from the female Gorilla Koko, trained to use American Sign Language. Koko routinely pretended that her dolls were her companions, frequently tried to nurse them, & often signed to them, sometimes giving them instructions. Once, a 5-year-old Koko orchestrated an exchange between 2 toy Gorillas, one blue & one pink. First, looking at the pink gorilla, she signed BAD BAD & then KISS towards the blue one. She then instructed the pair of toys to CHASE & TICKLE before smacking the 2 dolls together. After wrestling with each doll, Koko stopped & signed, GOOD GORILLA. GOOD GOOD. Another time, a caregiver showed the 10-year-old Koko a photo of a bird in a magazine. THAT ME, Koko signed. "Is that really you?" KOKO GOOD BIRD, she responded. "I thought you were a gorilla." KOKO BIRD. The caregiver asked, "you sure?" Koko responded, pointing to the bird, KOKO GOOD THAT. "Okay, I must be a gorilla" the caregiver said. BIRD YOU, the gorilla signed. "We're both birds?" Koko responded by signing GOOD. "Show me," the caregiver prodded. FAKE BIRD CLOWN. "You're teasing me. What are you really?" Finally, Koko gave in, with a laugh: GORILLA KOKO. By pretending to be a bird, Koko is doing something that the youngest human infants can't do. Young infants attempt to grasp objects in pictures as if they're really there. But by 19 months, on average, grasping is replaced by pointing. By that age, human infants begin to understand that a picture is a representation of another object, not the object itself, much the same as a 10-year-old Koko understood that she wasn't truly a bird. Children under 4 years seem able to pretend in some instances but not in others. For instance, 3-year-old children routinely agree that a balloon on a television screen would float to the ceiling if the top of the set was removed. Koko, too, in some instances couldn’t distinguish between pretence & reality. A caregiver brought a toy dinosaur & hid it between her legs as she sat with the 11-year-old ape. The caregiver poked the toy dinosaur out from behind her legs, causing Koko to jump backwards. "I scared you!" said the caregiver, "what's this?" Koko answered FAKETOOTH FAKE. "Yes, it's a fake alligator." Dinosaurs, lizards & alligators are all labelled "alligator" in Koko's vocabulary. After playing with the toy for a while, the caregiver asked, "You like it? You want it?" Koko responded GOOD, but still she didn't take it. The caregiver pretended as if the toy bit her own finger, shouting "Ow!" as if in pain. TOILET STINK, Koko replied. "Give me your finger, Koko," the caregiver instructs. But Koko instead offered a toy doll, letting it get bitten instead. "You funny Koko, let monster bite doll instead of you. Let's try being nice to it. It's a nice animal." The caregiver kissed the doll, to which Koko responded with the sign FAKETOOTH. "You want to kiss it, be nice?" While Koko eventually, though cautiously, kissed the dinosaur, she quickly withdrew. Koko seemed aware that the dinosaur was only a toy, using the signs FAKE & FAKETOOTH, both of which she regularly used to indicate that objects aren't real. However, she was also scared of it, acting quite wary about touching or kissing it. On some level, perhaps, she thought that the toy dinosaur could actually harm her.

A Western Lowland Gorilla named Julia sticks her tongue out & plays up for the camera. After a morning spent wandering around her enclosure, the restless Ape finally sits down to relax, but not before showing off numerous facial expressions

Video: Koko the Gorilla with Robin WilliamsBella F. http://www.care2.com/news/member/751582989/3795531This Moment Robin Williams shared with Koko is beautiful. His gift of laughter will be missed.This moment shared between Koko the gorilla & Robin Williams is a beautiful reminder of the joy the comedian brought the world. With his passing, we are reminded that even the people who seem the happiest can struggle with the demon of depression. If you or someone you know is struggling please get help.Koko lives at The Gorilla Foundation in Woodside, CA, in the Santa Cruz Mountains ab. 35 miles S. of San Francisco. She has her own specially equipped trailer & 2 outdoor play areas.

Oil Co. Soco not to drill in Virunga World Heritage Site11 June 2014 – Soco Int.l PLC will end its operations in Virunga, Africa’s oldest Nat.l Park & also is committing to remain out of all other UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the London-listed oil multinational is expected to announce today. WWF is campaigning to protect Virunga Nat.l Park in Dem. Republic of Congo (DRC), the site of Soco’s controversial oil exploration activities. “Today is a victory for our planet & for good practices in business.” Source: Corinne F.

They may have only just met but these 2 young primates in Dublin Zoo already seem best friends. In fact, soon after they were introduced to each other at Dublin Zoo, the Red-capped Mangabey looked to be whispering conspiratorially in the Gorilla's ear. The newly arrived Mangabeys will be sharing the Gorilla Rainforest with the Zoo's Gorilla family

1. A baby female Gorilla suffering from pneumonia, born via Caesarian section, is looked after by vets at San Diego Zoo California2. Gorilla mother Kumili arms her newborn, Leipzig Zoo, Germany. The baby Gorilla was born during the night between 10 & 11 March 2014 & its sex is still unknown. It's the 2nd Gorilla baby born within 4 month in this group of Apes

The 5-month-old Gorilla named Kabibe (or little lady in Swahili) is being carefullycared for by her grandmother named Bawang who has assumed the role of adoptive mother for the infant, though her mother Nneka is doing fine. The 33-year-old matriarch of the family did the same thing for her big brother Hasani, who is now 5-years-old. Once again, Bawang has taken on the huge responsibility of motherhood & has set a positive tone for the troop, San Francisco Zoo

1.The Bageni Gorilla family - Virunga, in the DemRep of Congo, is Africa's oldest Nat.l park & a world heritage site. Its Rainforests, volcanoes & rare wildlife attract tourists & its natural resources support more than 50,000 people. But the park is at risk of becoming Africa's newest Oil field after London-based oil company Soco announced exploration plans. Virunga is home to 1/4 of the world’s Critically Endangered Mountain Gorillas, which have been a source of tourism revenue in peaceful times.2. A member of the Bageni Gorilla family. Soco’s plans to explore for oil are not only threat to Virunga - civil unrest and wars have put pressure on local people, wildlife and resources for many years3. A new soap factory that uses Palm Oil, in Mutsora

1. Gorilla Yakini celebrates his 14th birthday, that marks an important milestone for him as on the cusp of becoming a full grown SilverbackMelbourne Zoo, Australia2. New-born Gorilla Naikais is held in the arms of his mother, Arnhem Zoo, The Netherlands3. A Gorilla eats fresh fruit & vegetables, Palmyre Zoo, France

Just only 780 Mountain Gorillas remain in the world today. 2 isolated populations survive: one in the Bwindi Impenetrable Nat.l Park, SWn Uganda, & the other on the forested slopes of the Virunga volcanoes, straddling the borders of the Dem. Rep. of Congo (DRC), Rwanda & Uganda.

Video:Baby Gorilla Tiny Takes His First StepsTiny, a 3month-old Western Lowland Gorilla, has taken his first steps, delighting visitors & keepers at London Zoo. Since he was born on Oct. 26, Tiny has clung firmly to his 12-year-old mother Mjukuu but with a little encouragement from her he finally struck out on his own.Video:Break Dancing Gorilla at the Calgary ZooZola a 9year-old Gorilla certainly knows how to dance: he demonstrates his master skills in a puddle of water, Calgary Zoo, Canada.Gorillas Snub Personal BoundariesHaving met for the 1st time, these female Gorillas rapidly got to grips with some complicated moves. Johari,10year-old allowed Mbeli, 6, to climb on her back & ride facing backwards when they were introduced at Melbourne Zoo, Australia. Then the partners swapped positions, with Mbeli (a Western Lowland Gorilla from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo) giving Johari a lift. Finally they ended with a more conventional ballroom stance, standing & embracing to show their mutual approval.

As the owner & operator of 2 such parks – Howletts & Port Lympne in Kent – you would expect the Aspinall Foundation, founded by my late father John, to argue that it is sometimes right to keep animals in captivity. Although we do agree that there are times when the interests of the species can be best served by animals being kept in captivity, we believe that it is scandalous that so many zoos around the world remain packed with often miserable animals, kept in unnatural conditions where they remain incapable of breeding, despite frequently being paired biblically, two by two. Cher C.http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/3482562

1. Indigo the baby Gorilla with her mum Hlala Kahilli at the Gerald Durrell Wilrlife park2. Kukena the baby Western Lowland Gorilla throws a rugby ball that has been placed into the Gorilla enclosure at Bristol Zoo as part of their enrichment programme, where they are given things to stimulate & encourage playful behavior

Photos:Gladys, Cincinnati Zoo's Baby Gorilla, Thriving Under Human Surrogates' Carehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/gladys-cincinnati-zoo-ohio_n_2971837.htmlSource:June M. - Rejected by her own mother,humans have swooped in to raise a baby Gorilla, & they're even dressing up for the role. After the Gorilla was rejected by her mother in a Texas zoo, she was transported to Ohio's Cincinnati Zoo, where zookeepers are acting as surrogates to prepare her for life among Gorillas. Zookeepers are donning gorilla-like outfits & mimicking animal noises to help the4-week-old. “Gorillas have about 13 different vocalizations, so you need to know how to speak to the baby given whatever the circumstance is"

Mother Gorilla's grief shows emotion is not only humanhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/2609440/Mother-gorillas-grief-shows-emotion-is-not-only-human.htmlThis Gorilla's grief provoked worldwide sympathy & surprise. But animals feel deeply too!! “Gana, the 11-year-oldGorillashown grieving the loss of her infant, was one of the most poignant images I have ever seen of an animal in distress. As a scientist who has studied animal emotions for more than 30 years, I consider myself extremely fortunate. The photograph of Gana reminded me ofFlint, a young male Chimpanzee who died soon after his mother, Flo. In a heartbreaking series of events, the primatologist Jane Goodall observed Flint withdraw from his group, stop feeding, & finally die."Flint became increasingly lethargic, refused food &, with his immune system thus weakened, fell sick," she wrote in her book, Through a Window. "The last time I saw him alive, he was hollow-eyed, gaunt & utterly depressed, huddled in the vegetation close to where Flo had died. The last short journey he made, pausing to rest every few feet, was to the very place where Flo's body had lain. There he stayed for several hours, sometimes staring into the water. He struggled on a little further, then curled up – & never moved again."Gorilla mother Gana carries her dead baby, Muenster Zoo, W. Germany

“Undertaking oil exploration or exploitation on the ground in a UNESCO World Heritage siteconstitutes a breach of the Convention on World Heritage, as well as DRC's own laws and constitution" "SOCO's plans are a real threat to the protection of Virunga's wildlifeand to people who depend on Lake Edward. The region is also marked by ethnic tensionsandthe presence ofarmed militia groups is still a threat to stability. These factors could be exacerbated if oil exploration is carried out without consulting local people" Jill http://www.care2.com/news/member/478413351/3148209

1.Gorilla mother Jamani, & her baby Bomassa roam at Asheboro Zoo, N.C. Later this year, the zoo is expecting its 3rd successful Gorilla birth in less than a year2.Jamani holds her son, Bomassa, after he had eaten some of his birthday ice cakes. Bomassa was born on Aug. 4, 2012.3. Infant Gorilla Bomassa eats leaves beside his mother

A new baby Western Lowland Gorilla. Keeps have not been able to get close enough to the baby to determine its gender, but they believe it's a girl. The father is a 26-year-old male named Koga, Buffalo Zoo

Mrithi, a 20-year-old maleWestern Lowland Gorilla & the lead Silverback of the zoo's Gorilla troupe, wanders through his habitat. Mrithi mated with Moka a 15-year-old female Gorilla. A pregnancy test suggests that Moka is pregnant, though they must monitor the animal's behavior & weight to confirm the pregnancy. Moka's & Mrithi's 1st pregnancy resulted in a birth, but that baby male Gorilla died after 4months, Pittsburgh Zoo

Kijivu, a female Western Lowland Gorilla, holds her newborn baby, Prague Zoo, Czech Rep. The baby Gorilla was born on Dec. 22, just months after Kijivu’s 2nd child, Tatu, died after accidentally hanging himself with a climbing rope. Zoo called the death the most tragic event at the zoo since flooding in 2002 killed more than 100 animals

New conservation complex will protect Critically Endangered Gorillashttp://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46196A new cluster of protected areas will protect Cross River Gorillas & an important watershedfor the benefit of all Cameroonians.Estimates on the No. of Cross River Gorillas (Gorilla Gorilla Diehli)remaining is 250—300 in the wild. Their range is very fragmented. Due to human population growth & agricultural encroachment,the Gorillas are being forced into higher altitudes with steep slopes, unsuitable for farming. The recent killing of a male Cross River Gorilla stressed the urgent need to intensify conservation efforts. Source: Sheila S.Cal M. http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3607663

Endangered mountain Gorilla population grows slightlyhttp://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/endangered-mountain-gorilla-population-grows-slightlyMountain Gorillas are confined only to areas in Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, & Rwanda. The world's Mountain Gorilla population has grown slightly to 880 animals, according to the WWF conservation group, from an estim. population of 781 animals in 2010. The critically endangered animals live in only 2 places in the world — Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Nat.l Park, & the Virunga Massif area, which spans parts of Uganda, the Dem. Republic of the Congo & Rwanda.The latest census counted 400 Mountain Gorillas living in Bwindi, while 480 animals were counted in the Virunga Massif in 2010. "Mountain Gorillas are the only Great Ape experiencing a population increase, due to intensive conservation efforts & successful community engagement."Several groups of Mountain Gorillas have become accustomed to the presence of humans & the animals have become a significant tourism draw, which has helped fund conservation efforts & local schools.

The Gorillas still face grave threats from:Habitat loss, Poaching, Disease transfer from humans, & Oil exploration around Virunga Nat.l Park. "More people in Virunga would likely lead to an increase in Deforestation, Illegal Hunting & more snares in the forest". "At least 7 Virunga Mountain Gorillas were caught in snares this year & 2 did not survive.The Gorilla population remains fragile & could easily slip into decline if conservation management was to be disregarded in the pursuit of oil money by elites" Gorillas live in social groups known as troops & the 400 Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Nat.l Park form 36 distinct troops, with an additional 16 solitary males. About 10 of these groups are habituated to the presence of people for tourism or research.The typical Gorilla troop includesone silverback, a male leader, one immature male, 3 or 4 adult females & 3 to 6 young offspring under 8 years of age. A male Mountain Gorilla can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in height & weighs around 480 pounds (220 kgs).

A Mountain Gorilla in the Bwindi Impenetrable Nat.l park, Uganda. Uganda ranked top in tourism industry growth in Africa. This Nat.l park was created in1942 as a Forest reserve, became listed as a world heritage site in 1994, covers 327 sq km & ishome to almost 50% of the world's population of the Mountain Gorillas, estimated to be less than 800

"Gorillas have these big, close-knit families, & they're always interacting" "It's one of the things that makes them so exciting to photograph." The 3 young Mountain Gorillas above are playmates from different mothers who will likely grow up together. Their small swath of home in the Virunga Mountains in East Africa is a fragile oasis. "You're talking about 700 Mountain Gorillas in the whole world, in this tiny habitat that's surrounded by human conflict, poverty, & overpopulation."

“Does this Gorilla mother look relaxed? Mothers normally carry infants in the crook of their arm—a spot that protects the baby but makes it difficult to get a clear photograph of that tiny little face. This mother has become so comfortable while eating that she's dropped her arm enough to allow an intimate family portrait. That baby's less than a week old, it's very difficult to photograph a newborn Gorilla with their eyes open, because they're sleeping a lot. So that was a great moment where the baby was awake, & Mom is feeding & relaxed, & all the elements came together.”

Western Lowland Gorilla Kigali sits on his the back of his mother, Rwanda, at the Gulf Breeze Zoo, Fla.

Gorilla mother Jamani, & her baby Bomassa roam the Forest Glade exhibit at The N. Carolina Zoo, in Asheboro, N.C. Later this year, the zoo is expecting its 3rd successful Gorilla birth in less than a year

(Left down)Gorilla Bagira holds her 1-week-old baby, at Hellabrunn zoo in Munich, Germany. The sex of the young Gorilla, born on Feb. 8, 2013, is yet unknown

Primate Centre Team Leader at the zoo in Cincinnati lies with a baby Gorilla named Gladys the way a mother Western Lowland Gorilla would with her young. The baby Gorilla was born on Jan. 29 at a Texas zoo to a first-time mother who wouldn't care for her. Zoo workers & volunteers are acting as surrogate mothers to prepare the baby to be introduced to 2 female Gorillas at the Cincinnati Zoo who might accept her.

The Gov.t of the Republic of Congo has declared the area a Nat.l Park, ensuring that the green abyss remains just that. Gorillas, it turns out, do not mind the forests’ tangle. In 2008, the Wildlife Conservation Society discovered that an estimated 15,000 Western Lowland Gorillas were living there, which helped spur the Gov.t to make a decision to protect the forest. “The density of Gorillas in this area turned out to be surprisingly high,” “As big as Gorillas are, it’s surprising how nimble they are in these dense understories — it’s their preferred habitat.”With this new population taken into account, the Northern Republic of Congo now supports an estimated 125,000 Gorillas.

Michela dear friend how can one express in words the outrage we feel to the constant abuse & murder of our animal population world wide, the penalty is not fitting the crime. When oil & gas companies can subvert the natural laws of survival for profit its time we upped our game. I on a personal note will always stay away from any product that would endorse or help to put money in the coffers of any corporation who have or are involved in the destruction of the homeland of our indigenous people & our animals as both are at the mercy of faceless people. We the people with voices have in our hands through our dollar power the means & the power to call a halt to this by the great work thats done on a daily basis through your efforts & those of all Care 2 members who will never be silent.take a bow all you who continue to fight injustice you are too many to thank on a one to one so I would like to convey these wishes to all of you here. Thank you for the fantastic postings. We will overcome.

Seen last three pictures and signed 'the oldest zoo gorilloa turns 56 ...'
It's a pity to see gorillas are only safe in captivity. It's difficuolt to say how they feel about that. Do they feel lonely? depressed? What about their children? Are they separated for ever? etc.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The first Gorilla born in a zoo is turning 56 & celebrating her birthday with some special treats at her central Ohio home. The female Western Lowland Gorilla named Colo is the oldest Gorilla in any zoo. She was born at the Columbus Zoo in 1956. The zoo marked Colo's birthday with a cake specially prepared for her & other gifts, incl. her favorite food, tomatoes. Zoo guests sang "Happy Birthday to You." Colo is a mother of 3. Her family tree includes more than 2 dozen descendants living at zoos across the country.

A 2-week old Gorilla is bottle-fed milk by his surrogate parent, a zoo-keeper at a German Zoo. "Habitat loss, Climate Change, infectious disease & illegal hunting for both meat & the live pet trade" have combined to push Gorillas to the brink of extinction

Kijivu, a female Western Lowland Gorilla, holds her newborn baby at Prague Zoo, Czech Republic. The baby Gorilla was born on Dec. 22, just months after Kijivu’s 2nd child, Tatu, died after accidentally hanging himself with a climbing rope. Zoo director Miroslav Bobek called the death the most tragic event at the zoo since flooding in 2002 killed more than 100 animals

Thanks for Sharing on other Social Networks, above all on FaceBook!! It’s my personal revenge as FaceBook Disabled my Account in May2010!!! On FB I recruited more than 3,500 to my Animal/Environmental Causes (Orangutan Outreach, OrangutanLandTrust, Don'tPalmUsOff, JaneGoodallInst., TheCove, Rapes in Congo, etc) I had 3,000 Friends & made Donations for $635. I LOST EVERYTHING when FB Disabled my Account (Entered the Care2 Community thereafter: in June2010). FB Disabled my ACCOUNT because I was posting my Link to “my” Petition for Orangutans, Tigers, Elephants, Wildlife, Biodiversity, Rainforests, “Label PalmOil" for which I worked hard, even 10 hrs/day, since when my FB UK friend Ryno Nel wrote it & I signed it for 3rd. FB considered it as a SPAM declaring I violated their rules!! Isn’t it more probable that the PalmOil/Oil/Logging/FastFood Lobby(Corporations) defend their Money/Greed Interests?? Same days: FB blocked also the Petition Against BP(the Gulf Disaster)!!Even if they DISABLED me: my Orangutan Petition reached Total 6,455 Signatures, also thanks to my Care2 friends!! Afterwards it was awaiting decisions by the EUParliament...

When I was on Facebook, in my Group there were several Rangers of the Virunga National Park!!!!

Often they told me that some of their closest friends had been KILLED by POACHERS!!! IT WAS A REAL TRAGEDY NOT ONLY FOR THEM, but ALSO for their entire families!!!!!!

OIL DRILLING = MORE ROADS entering that protected area

= ENABLING POACHERS TO EASILY ACCESS THE AREA = MORE WORK FOR THE RANGERS = MORE ANIMALS (of ANY KIND) KILLED = EXTINCTION FOR THE LAST SURVIVING MOUNTAIN GORILLAS!!!! ALREADY THREATENED BY BUSHMEAT!!!!!

Tatu, a young male Gorilla, aged 5, died while playing on a rope structure in the Gorilla wing. Thebirth of Tatu in 2007 was one of the rarest births in captivity & was broadcasted on live on the Internet he was the emblematic animal of Prague Zoo.

"This is the most tragic event that has happened at the zoo since a flood damaged a large section in August 2002". “It's mainly the female Kamba, the oldest member of the herd, who stubbornly refused to quit Tatu".

Deforestation rate doubled from 0.13% to 0.26% between the 1990s & 2000-2005. Degradation by Logging & Fire increased from 0.07% to 0.14% /year. Despite the jump, rates in the CongoBasin remain below those in Latin America & Southeast Asia, but the region is seen as a prime target for future agro-industrial expansion.

In April: the saddening story of an Orangutan that had tried to gnaw its own arm off after it became trapped in an illegal snare. Now, juvenile Gorillas have been caught in the act of disarming similar traps set by poachers. Not only that, but they worked together destroying it with such ease that researchers think they’ve been doing it for a while.

For Rwanda’s population of Mountain Gorillas, poaching remains one of the biggest threats to their survival. But after decades of being a prime target for unlawful hunters, these critically endangered gorillas have apparently learned to outsmart them — & even the youngsters are getting in on the act. Conservationists from Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund observed, for the first time ever, a pair of juvenile gorillas doing something remarkably clever: destroying sharp, wooden snares set out by poachers to trap them. Just days earlier, a gorilla had been killed in a similar snare nearby, which may have familiarized the youngsters with the workings of those cruel devices. “We knew that gorillas do this but all of the reported cases in the past were carried out by adult gorillas, mostly silverbacks. Today, two juveniles & one blackback from Kuryama’s group worked together to deactivate two snares & how they did it demonstrated an impressive cognitive skill”.

The delicate state of peace in Dem.Rep.of Congo was again shattered by renewed clashes between the Congolese army & rebel militias operating near & insideVirunga Nat.l Park: a bastion for the Endangered Mountain Gorilla. Here is where conservation icons like George Schaller & Dian Fossey conducted the first field studies on the Gorilla beringei beringei. Dian Fossey was forced to flee Congo & the Gorillas she was studying due to civil unrest in the country. (She was killed probably by Poachers). Out of an est.d 790 M. Gorillas left in the world, approx. 200 live here. In spite of a 12-year civil war in the region, the park’s Gorilla population has continued its upward trend; but for how long?

The LAST remaining Mountain Gorillas!! “Trekking up the volcano’s slopes to get a unique 1-hr glimpse of wild M.Gorillas is an experience I will never forget. I think about the dominant silver-back Kabirizi & his family group in these uncertain times & hope they remain safe. Losing just a single family group would have devastating consequences for Mountain Gorilla conservation.”

A warden at the Virunga Nat.l Park in the Dem.Rep.of Congo plays with an orphaned Mountain Gorilla. The Virunga park is home to some 210 Mountain Gorillas: approx. a quarter of the world's population

A warden at the Virunga Nat.l Park in Congo, sits with an orphaned Mountain Gorilla in the Gorilla sanctuary

An orphaned Mountain Gorilla sits in a pen at a sanctuary in the Virunga Nat.l Park. The 4 orphans that live in the sanctuary are the only Mountain Gorillas in the world not living in the wild, having been brought here after their parents were killed by poachers or as a result of traffickers trying to smuggle them out of the park

Young gorilla struggled for days before dying in a rope snare was set to trap a small antelope for wild meat. An anti-poaching patrol in the Virunga Massif made a gruesome discovery last week: a young Mountain Gorilla was dead, caught in a poacher’s snare.

The male Mountain Gorilla, approx. 3 yrs old, was dead for a few days. An exam by the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project & the Rwanda Dev. Board revealed that the Mountain Gorilla was dehydrated & its stomach empty, pointing to the likelihood that the gorilla struggled with the snare for several days before dying. “It is a heartbreaking thing to see a Mountain Gorilla dead after struggling due to an act by a human being” said Director of the Int.l Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP); a coalition of Fauna & Flora Int.l, the African Wildlife Foundation, & the WWF for Nature. There are only an est. 780 Mountain Gorillas in the world, & the Species is designated as Critically Endangered.

At Frankfurt zoo, Germany, 29 year-old Gorilla Rebecca holds her 2 day-old baby. Rebecca & the father, Viatu, have been so protective, zookeepers have been unable to come near the baby to determine its gender

A baby Gorilla sleeps on its mother Rebecca at the zoo in Frankfurt, Germany

Alf (9yrs) & Kesho (13yrs), 2 lowland Gorilla brothers, were recently reunited at a safari park in England after being separated for 3 years: they recognized each other immediately. It's a story of brotherly love. A clear display of "Gorilla joy" was seen by keepers at a safari park in Wiltshire as 2 brothers were reunited after more than 3 years apart.

(Apr.28,2009) A baby Gorilla was seized from animal traffickers in the Dem.Rep. of Congo by the Congolese Wildlife Authority following a 3-month undercover investigation to bust an Int.l Wildlife smuggling ring. One suspected trafficker was caught & arrested at Goma Int.l Airport while disembarking from a flight from Walikale (in the interior of the country & close to Gorilla habitat) with an Eastern Lowland Gorilla. The Gorilla was found concealed under clothes at the bottom of a bag & was suffering from over-heating & dehydration after spending more than 6 hours in transit.

News: Orphan Baby Gorillas Rescued From Poachershttp://animalconnectionac.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/orphan-baby-gorillas-rescued-from-poachers/Two baby Gorillas, rescued from poachers in 2 separate incidents in late Sept., are now being cared for at an orphan sanctuary in Virunga Nat.l Park in the Dem. Rep.of Congo (DRC). They will undergo a quarantine of at least 3 months together. The 2 females—about 9 & 5 months old—are Grauer’s Gorillas, also known as Eastern Lowland Gorillas. Found only in Eastern DRC, where armed conflict has thwarted the protective efforts of wildlife authorities, the Species is Endangered, according to the Int.l Union for Conserv. of Nature. The Grauer’s population has plummeted in recent years because of Poaching, & there may be fewer than 4,000 Gorillas left.

I am a firm believer in what goes around comes back around. Ppl will have a rude awakening soon with all the devastation man is doing to our planet. May the abusers be the first to feel the rath of Mother Nature.

I agree with Ellen: to me 'such beauties' seems to be the best name to give gorillas. Dian Fossey was killed at a time poachers used to kill gorillas, cut their hands which they then sold to tourists as ashtrays.
Now, oil exploration and exploitation are allowed. Greed really has no limit; they are in a Unesco World Heritage site but they just don't care at all. What will stop those predators?
Yes, gorillas really have a hard life.
The pictures are beautiful. TY, Michela.

I witnessed first hand a mother gorilla mourn for her lost child and it was heart breaking. Just heart breaking. After witnessing our animals constantly dying at our Milwaukee Zoo and being a volunteer in the primate bldg for 15 yrs enough was enough for me. I will never ever ever ever support these places again. They are animal prostitutes and so are those that visit.

When zoologist Dian Fossey was murdered in 1985 there were just 250 Mountain Gorillas left in Africa's Virunga mountains. But thanks in part to the Gorilla Doctors she inspired, their numbers have doubled.